Derrick Dixon, 32, entered his plea Oct. 22 before Oakland County Circuit Judge Hala Jarbou, and after a few delays had been scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 19. But that’s been postponed with Dixon’s next court date set for Dec. 17 as requested by his attorney Steven Lynch, appointed to the case just days before. Lynch said he needs the additional time to review the case and determine what Dixon’s other options might be, including whether a plea withdrawal is legally possible at this point.

Heather Dixon

Photo from Facebook

Dixon had initially been charged with first-degree premeditated murder after Heather Dixon, 32 was strangled to death with a necktie from a Halloween costume at their house last Jan. 4. He pleaded no contest to the reduced charge and the original charge was dropped.

A no contest plea isn’t an admission of guilty but is treated as such at sentencing.

Jarbou granted the postponement despite objections from assistant prosecutor Heather Brown, who said the case has undergone “extensive discussion” to reach a plea and “resolve the case without a trial.”

“There’s no valid reason to withdraw (the plea),” she said.

Brown also noted that Heather Dixon’s parents had traveled from California to offer victim impact statements at the scheduled sentencing, and wouldn’t be available to return.

Jarbou declined to allow the parents to make statements Monday. Options include video recording their statements or providing them to the Prosecutor’s Office through a telephone call or other means.

Derrick Dixon may be considering trying to withdraw his no contest plea for the death of his wife, Heather Dixon, last January in Novi.

Aileen Wingblad/Digital First Media

Investigators say Dixon admitted killing his wife during an argument, upset that she was planning to divorce him and move away with their three kids. The couple reportedly had financial struggles and faced eviction.

Dixon was hospitalized for several days afterward the murder to treat an overdose, believed to have been a suicide attempt. He has a history of mental illness, according to his mother, Barbara Dixon, who testified at a preliminary examination earlier this year.